


The Usual Corner

by Crowgirl



Series: On the Strength of the Evidence [15]
Category: Grantchester (TV)
Genre: Ficlet, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, One Year Later, Snow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-29
Updated: 2016-11-29
Packaged: 2018-09-03 03:31:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8694643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crowgirl/pseuds/Crowgirl
Summary: The snow is coming down thicker than ever as they pause at the usual corner.





	

The snow is coming down thicker than ever as they pause at the usual corner where Leonard turns left, down towards the train station, and Ben continues to the right back towards his rooms. The light from the nearest streetlamp is just a suggestion: a kind of thick golden glow and the world seems to have become a silent place. Even the noise from the intersection they walked through only a few hundred yards away sounds muffled and distant.

‘I’m sorry to have kept you out like this,’ Ben says, stepping close enough that they’re nearly toe to toe. ‘-- it’s an awful night, really but -- but thank you for coming, it really was kind of you to keep me company after that last exam.’

‘You should come out to the vicarage for tea over the break,’ Leonard says breathlessly, shaking snow off his gloved hands.

Ben nods, pulling his collar up tight around his ears. ‘I -- yes, thank you, that would be lovely.’

They stand for another moment and Leonard can feel the damp cold seeping into his shoes. ‘I -- I should probably--’

For a moment, he doesn’t realize Ben has leaned forward and kissed him. Then he feels sparks of cold on his cheeks and the tip of his nose and can taste something other than black tea on his lips.

Ben is staring at him with wide eyes, almost smiling but not quite. ‘I -- I’m sorry if I --’ He gestures at the streetlight, the silent street around them. ‘It’s -- where we met -- last autumn and I -- I just -- I thought -- I always wanted to --’

‘You --’ Leonard has to stop and swallow and try again. He’s never had someone kiss him on a street corner before, to say nothing of someone saying they had _always wanted to_ which is what he thinks he’s just heard. ‘You ...wanted to?’ He wants to ask other things: _What does always mean?_ and _Did you remember this was the corner whenever you walked by it, too?_ and _Do you keep my letters like I have yours?_ but he stops himself.

This time, Ben does smile. ‘Yes. Of course. What did you think?’

 _Yes. Of course._ Leonard’s ears are ringing faintly and he can’t think of anything to say. He presses his gloved fingertips against his mouth as if he would be able to feel where Ben had touched him. 

‘If -- if you don’t -- I mean -- I know I’m just a student and--’

Leonard leans forward before he can think about it and kisses Ben silent. For a moment, he forgets to worry that someone will see them, that there will be trouble. Ben’s lips are warm and soft and taste very slightly of hot chocolate and one of Ben’s hands finds his and holds on tightly. 


End file.
